Fork Seals + Bolts

[ivany]

So, I'm looking into replacing my fork springs, oil, and seals. Just wondering about the big bolts everyone is complaining about.

1. Are they on the bottom of the fork, INSIDE the tube?

2. What's the deal with getting them out? If I simply uncap the top of the shock, and leave the wheel on, can I get at it like that (using the home-made extension)? Or how do you recommend to get to it?

I noticed people saying they recommend air tools, but you still need some way to access it, like the extender tool, right?

[hmmmnz]

don't pull it out just do it the easy way, there is a guide by alpha some where but it basically goes,
pull wheel off ect, slide tubes out undo top tip oil and springs out, give them a rinse with white spirits, dig out dust cap, (now the hard part)dig out the fork seal. it can be quite hard, as the seal has metal inside it you have to get quite aggressive with your screwdiver the get some long nose plyers and pull them out by holding on to the mashed up old seal,
then slide on your new ones wack them into place(seat the new seals) and every thing goes back on the bike then chuck in the springs ect fill with oil put the top back on the forks
job done,
get some 15w or 20 w oil 10w just doesnt cut it
good luck

[ivany]

I would like to do it the proper way, dragging the seal out makes me thing of scratching the suspension tube

So, what I don't understand right now is, do I need to undo the bolt inside (15/16" one)? Or the bolt at the bottom of the suspension (allen head). Or both?!?

[MarkusN]

The allen head bolt at the bottom holds the damper rod ("big bolt") inside the fork tube. To get at the allen head bolt you have to take out the front axle.

Once you take all this stuff out the oil's gonna drain, so you definitely wan to do this wiht the fork legs removed from the triples. It's not that hard to get them out.

What year is your GS? In the newer ones apparently there is hardly a way around an expensive special Suzuki tool to hold the damper rod.

[ivany]

2000. Don't think it's that new.

So, I get it. You can either use an air tool to back the little allen bolt out (but don't you need the big long extension to put it all back afterwards?). Or you can use  manual tools, and use the big long extension to hold the big bolt/cylinder while you go at the little allen bolt. I think I get it now...

Why not leave them in the triples, prop up the front, and drain into an oil pan? as per http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=16318.0

[MarkusN]

I guess you could do that. I just prefer wrenching with a clean field of work. And the additional work really isn't that much. Also gives you the opportunity to clean the clamped parts of the fork tubes for once, you can be pretty sure to find rust there.

As for re-tightening the allen bolt: There just a little additional pressure with a broomstick would probably suffice to fix the damper rod well enough so it doesn't turn when you start tightening. Once you are moderately tight I think it's self-securing.

[hwindle]

Ivany,
I just did mine, and used the procedure that you linked to. To use an air impact, you need to cut a 8 mm allen wrench off to about 3 inches long, put it in a 8mm socket, and then you can use the impact to take out the allen screw on the bottom of the fork legs. If you don't loosen the top caps, the springs hold the damper from turning, at least most of the time I guess.
One thing I can add to the instructions is using a #3 phillips screwdriver to line the damper up, to get the allen bolt to start threading back in, when putting it all back together.The screw driver will pass throught the threaded hole in the bottom of the damper, and gets it centered in the tube so the bolt will start threading back in. When putting the bolts back in, you screw the top caps on a couple of turns, to again have the springs hold the damper from turning.

The other thing the directions aren't real clear on, if you leave the forks on the bike like I did, is you need to seat the seals back in. They go in pretty easy, but there is a bushing that fits underneath them that needs to be seated before the seal will go in. I used a short piece of 1-1/2" PVC pipe, cut in half as a driver.